Because and Therefore

After in the previous article, which reviewed how Hebrews chapter 3 finished up, along with a discussion of belief and action, let’s get into chapter 4.

Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the good news proclaimed to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed.

Hebrews 4:1-2 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/heb.4.1-2.NIV

Like multiple other places in the book of Hebrews, here we find the word, “Therefore”:

Because just being “God’s people” wasn’t enough for the Israelites to enter God’s rest…
Because unbelief can cause us to not qualify for the good things God wants for us…
Because we have an example of where this literally happened in the past, so we know that it’s a real thing…
Therefore, the author of Hebrews (and hopefully every Christian who loves other people like God loves people) doesn’t want anyone to miss God’s ultimate rest.

Most of the Hebrews rescued from Egypt at the Exodus failed to believe that God could help them take over Canaan, resulting in them being cursed to wander in the wilderness for 40 years, until almost all of that generation had passed away. However, let’s ask this question: Were there Hebrews (other than Joshua and Caleb) who believed God and will still spend eternity with Him, even if they died in the wilderness along with unbelievers of their generation?

I suspect that there were some. After all, the Bible sometimes speaks in generalities, and the righteous sometimes experience bad consequences by being part of a less-righteous group. No matter how and when some may have trusted God to take care of them, though, for an entire generation to miss out on the Promised Land because of their unbelief (especially when they were so close to it)…that was a sad, missed opportunity.

However, for anyone who hears the good news about Jesus Christ, and yet misses out on the chance to find God’s ultimate rest (that great rest when a new Heaven and a new Earth herald the end of sadness, pain, and sorrow),…well, that would be a tragedy of eternal proportions.

So, the warning here is pretty simple: those reading this letter of Hebrews (including us and other people today) who have heard the good news: we are like the ancient Israelites who had more than enough evidence to trust God with their destiny.

Regrettably, the first generation from the Exodus heard, but it didn’t do any good for them: not because it wasn’t true or valuable or their means of claiming the Promised Land, but because they didn’t believe – they didn’t have faith resulting in obedience – and so the painful and regrettable result was the same as if they had never heard. Per Girdwood & Verkruyse, p.133-134, the key here is not the ingredients – the good news about God’s rest, belief, obedience – but rather the combination of them with faith (or a lack of faith).

Saying, “I go to church” might sometimes mean that someone has heard about salvation through Jesus, but unless that is combined with belief / faith / acceptance, it’s only an ingredient, not the intended finished result. The author of Hebrews doesn’t want anyone to hear the good news about Jesus Christ and yet – through unbelief – suffer the same consequences as those who never heard about Him.

And, faith must be kept / maintained / preserved. As someone wrote: “The people of Israel were also in the process of entering the promised land when their sin cut them down.” [Ibid., p.135] May our faith remain strong in the only one who can bring ultimate rest. The world doesn’t need more examples of those who turned down their chance to receive that because they lacked faith.

From Sunday School lesson prepared for February 1, 2026

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